Pokemon TCG Pocket: Poisoned, Explained (& All Cards with ‘Poison’ Ability) News - Latest Updates and Information

This guide explores the Special Condition "Poisoned" in Pokémon TCG Pocket, explaining its effects, which cards inflict it, how to cure it, and strategies for building effective Poison decks.

Pokémon TCG Pocket features several Special Conditions, including Poisoned. This condition causes a Pokémon to lose 10 HP at the end of each turn until cured or knocked out. Understanding how Poisoned works, which cards utilize it, and how to counter it is crucial for competitive play.

What is Poisoned?

Poisoned is a Special Condition inflicting 10 HP damage at the end of each round during the Checkup phase. Unlike some effects, it persists until cured or the Pokémon is knocked out. While it can stack with other Special Conditions, multiple Poisoned effects on the same Pokémon don't increase the damage beyond 10 HP per turn. However, certain Pokémon, like Muk, benefit from the Poisoned status, dealing increased damage.

Which Cards Inflict Poisoned?

In the Genetic Apex expansion, several cards inflict the Poisoned status:

Weezing
Grimer
Nidoking
Tentacruel
Venomoth

Grimer is particularly effective as a Basic Pokémon that poisons opponents with a single Energy. Weezing's "Gas Leak" ability also inflicts Poisoned without Energy cost but requires Weezing to be the Active Pokémon.

How to Cure Poisoned?

Three methods can remove the Poisoned status:

Evolution: Evolving a Poisoned Pokémon cures it.
Retreat: Moving the Poisoned Pokémon to the Bench prevents further damage.
Item Cards: Cards like Potion heal HP but don't directly cure Poisoned, only extending the Pokémon's survival.

Best Poison Decks?

While not a top-tier archetype, Poison decks can be competitive. A strong strategy centers around the Grimer, Arbok, and Muk synergy: Grimer quickly poisons, Arbok locks opponents, and Muk capitalizes on the Poisoned status for significant damage (up to 120 HP). Koga's Rental Deck provides a good starting point. Alternative strategies include Nidoking evolution lines or Jigglypuff/Wigglytuff ex for a backup plan.

Sample Poison Deck

Card	Quantity	Effect
Grimer	x2	Applies Poisoned
Ekans	x2	Evolves into Arbok
Arbok	x2	Locks the opponent's Active Pokémon
Muk	x2	Deals 120 DMG to Poisoned Pokémon
Koffing	x2	Evolves into Weezing
Weezing	x2	Applies Poisoned with "Gas Leak" Ability
Koga	x2	Returns Weezing or Muk to hand
Poké Ball	x2	Draws a Basic Pokémon
Professor's Research	x2	Draws two cards
Sabrina	x1	Forces opponent's Active Pokémon to Retreat
X Speed	x1	Reduces Retreat cost

This guide provides a foundation for understanding and utilizing Poisoned in Pokémon TCG Pocket. Experimentation and strategic adaptation are key to success.